international

If there is anything that we pride ourselves on about our apartments it is their ultra-convenient and central locations. However, if you believe bias to be clouding our judgement, check out these vibrant and quirky word clouds we compiled from Trip Advisor reviews which only attested to how all our guests also agree that we come top when it comes to location.

Our post codes only speak to this as with highly sought after locations on renowned UK streets including Edinburgh’s Hanover Street and on the doorstep of Birmingham’s ultra-exclusive retail paradise known as the Mailbox, we are clearly right in the hub of all the excitement and adventure that cosmopolitan Britain has to offer. However, while we do reside in some of the UK’s biggest and best cities including the glittering granite exterior of Aberdeen and the world renowned hospitality and friendly banter of Glasgow, we appreciate that maybe you want to explore horizons further afield. For instance, maybe you are feeling courageous and want to pay the infamous Loch Ness Monster a visit or perhaps the bright lights of the UK’s greatest metropolis and dear capital London is calling you. Wherever you like, whatever destination your heart desires, from Dundee to Manchester to Liverpool to Newcastle to Belfast, with ‘The Apartment Collection – By The Spires’ we can find the perfect serviced apartment accommodation for you. Wondering how? Let us explain.

While we would love to say that we have managed to grow overnight and launch brand new apartments in cities from the top to the bottom of the country, unfortunately that is a dream for another day. However, that has not stopped us from developing connections with serviced apartment providers all across the country and subsequently alongside the title of ‘serviced apartment operator’, we also would like to add ‘serviced apartment agent’ embossed on a gold name plaque. Consequently, no longer can we just provide you with the ultimate experience in serviced apartment accommodation when you stay directly with us, but we can also source you the best possible stay even when you are not staying with us. At The Spires we are all about delivering our guests with the best experience possible and this is something that we want to continue whether you are staying with us or not. Therefore, we will only source you accommodation with serviced apartment providers who we believe share the same values and ethos as us in relation to customer service. Consequently, we are taking the stress out of your hands in relation to scouring the internet to see if providers are really living up to their proclaimed reputation through those rigorous Trip Advisor checks. All you have to do is dial the magic telephone number to The Spires and you can put your feet up as we do all the sourcing work for you through our network which we have accumulated afters years in business.

Therefore, we really are a one-stop-shop when it comes to serviced apartment living. From offering up our own apartments to helping you find accommodation when we do not have apartments in the city locations you want to stay in, one call to The Spires will sort out all your accommodation enquiries. Whatever the destination, serviced apartments really are the perfect cost-effective alternative to traditional hotels as the flexibility, freedom, space and convenience they offer just cannot be rivalled – wherever you venture in the world! Therefore, whatever your travel circumstances, whether you are travelling for 1 night or 1 year, whether you are travelling nationally or internationally or whether you are flying solo or as part of a family trip, we will be able to source you the best stay so you do not have to.

With the October holidays on the horizon (an ample opportunity to explore all the treasures that the world has to offer) it is the perfect time to consider visiting somewhere new. Therefore, make sure to visit our dedicated ‘The Apartment Collection – By The Spires’ website to get the inspiration rolling or if you already have a location in mind, phone us at 0345 270 0090 to get your holiday booked. Wherever and whenever, The Spires have your every travel need sorted.

If there is anything that differentiates our favourite Silver City from our other city destinations (apart from its glittering granite skyline!), it is most certainly its proximity to the beach. The city certainly meets the coast in Aberdeen and it therefore makes for the ultimate summer experience as what vacation is complete without the treading on warm sand, the collection of unique shells and the satisfying fulfilment of a seaside fish and chip run? You can do it all and more in Aberdeen as with its cinema complex, arcades, amusement fair and leisure centre, there is no end to all the fun that can be had! Similarly, factor in the plethora of lush golf courses and the picturesque parks that have enabled Aberdeen to win the accolade of Britain in Bloom a record-breaking number of times, and it is readily apparent how Aberdeen is certainly a city where you can bask in the summer joy. However, read on to find out all about the extra fun that is happening in the North-East this summer!

Perhaps the biggest draw to Aberdeen this lovely sunny season are our favourite new residents: dolphins! Due to Aberdeen being one of the best places in Europe to watch these magnificent animals at home in the sea, it is no wonder it is fast becoming a prime dolphin watching spot. Often frolicking near the harbour, it is not uncommon to witness the dolphins feeding & playing-truly a sight not to be missed.

Netherlands National Circus (Thursday 23rd July 2015-Sunday 9th August 2015)

Tricks, flicks and magic, you will witness all kinds of unbelievable entertainment that will have you teetering on the edge of your seat. Complete with juggling and illusions, it is certainly a two-hour show that will keep your family entertained and gasping in wonder.

If you cannot get enough of the circus season, make sure to check out Zippos Circus in Stonehaven. Boasting awe-inspiring attractions like the motorcycle Globe of Terror alongside crazy balancing and juggling acts, it will be an absolutely captivating experience and certainly one to have the whole family entranced.

An event that is always eagerly anticipated, there is no denying the fact that the Aberdeen International Youth Festival is the pinnacle of Aberdeen’s cultural scene. One of the world’s biggest youth festivals, there is nothing that can quite compare with the energy and vitality undulating throughout the city as all genres of performance arts from opera to dance to theatre occur in all manner of public spaces as performed by extremely talented youngsters who come from all corners of the world to attend this illustrious event. Prepare to be entertained and enlightened at this cultural extravaganza which is filled with all kinds of vibrant colours, sounds and talent!

Celebrating local community and produce, the country fair is the perfect chance to engage with the producers themselves and to purchase from a wide array of unique arts, jewellery, crafts and foods. Running the length of Belmont Street, it is refreshing to have a country edge in the bustling city.

Celebrate Aberdeen (Saturday 22ndAugust 2015-Sunday 23rd August 2015)

Pride will not be any more evident than on this weekend which through a parade, live music acts and food, celebrates the best of the Silver City and its people. Lasting two days, the buzzing atmosphere and community love certainly lights up the city and makes the streets feel alive.

The highlight of Union Street, the International Street Market is always an event to look forward to as it welcomes over 70 stalls full of arts, crafts and cuisine from a whole spectrum of European countries. Truly an international event, it is undeniable the buzz and cultural spirt it generates across the city.

For those who are always seeking the perfect piece of art to complete that room, attending the fifth annual Aberdeen Art Fair is a definite must; particularly as it showcases some of the emerging names in the art world alongside established artists. Across the two days, you are able to both admire and purchase some of the most unique pieces that have been created by artistic masterminds from both Scotland and the UK. Therefore, whether you attend just to appreciate the talent and skill on offer or to make an investment and add to your collection, the fair welcomes all.

A lot of us dream of it: a high-flying career bringing us to all the exotic, glamorous destinations of the world where we precede to work hard in the boardroom, and play hard in our new mysterious surroundings. However, the reality of business relocation is a lot more different. Sometimes, relocation may simply consist of moving to a different city to complete a short-term business assignment or maybe it is moving for a significant period of time to a different country. There are all different kinds of scenarios and with everyone having their own personal circumstances (for example: married vs. single vs. with young family vs. with teenagers), no relocation and its consequences will ever hit two people the same. However, it is clear that it is rare for any relocation to be plain sailing, what with all the expense and mental strain associated with settling in a potentially vastly different territory. Moving firms can be challenging enough as you adapt to new ways of doing business, let alone moving to an entirely new city or country at the same time where you are unfamiliar with everything but still expected to produce results.

When all else is failing or changing in our lives, home tends to be our anchor due to its enduring stability and its association as a safe haven. It is a place where we can be ourselves, where we feel perfectly at peace. However, when people are relocated, they have to find a new place to live and that alongside changes in the professional life can be very stressful and disorientating. When you have had to endure an entirely new corporate culture, the last thing you want is to return to a sterile hotel room and feel no belonging or comfort there either. This is why serviced apartments are so beneficial for relocation, particularly if you have to uproot the family and bring them with you also.

Due to their warm welcome generated from the comfiest furnishings, the unique yet stylish decorations and their inclusion of the congregation points of any home, a lounge and kitchen; serviced apartments definitely embody a home from home feel. You have plenty of space to relax after a long day and you have the flexibility to cook your own meals so as to benefit your health-and your wallet.

Further benefits of a serviced apartment solution to business relocation were provided in the Buying Business Travel March/April edition. For instance, in further relation to employee welfare, it was highlighted how it is the first few weeks that are of critical importance because if the employee does not feel content or is not assimilating during that time-frame, it is highly likely that their secondment or their assignment will not produce the results it could have.

Similarly, it was reflected how it is not just the emotions that serviced apartments benefit in the relocation scenario, it is also the practicalities. For instance, due to their size, it is a lot easier to use serviced apartments for business projects because should the project be expanded or contracted, apartments can tend to meet those changing needs a lot more easily and reduce the potential for disruption. Likewise, as serviced apartments are not tenancies, they save the employees the strain of having to set up internet and nor do they have to worry about paying utilities; they just pay the up-front fee and can extend or cancel their stay with a lot more ease. Moreover, due to the differences between deluxe serviced apartments and penthouses, every level of employee and budget can be catered for.

Last year it was even noted how the relocation market was one that the serviced apartment industry was keeping a particular watchful eye on, and even today the serviced apartment industry continues to rapidly grow as the bigger brands and smaller organisations alike come to desire to capitalise on the benefits of long-term stays. This is the same for shorter-time business stays because as organisations grow and they need to send their employees to handle their international business, this clearly requires accommodation. However, simultaneously, whilst the industry is growing, long-term relocation has been an area that has been slightly hit due to financial cuts resulting in shorter stays; smaller apartments and families not being able to accompany the business traveller.

As someone who has had to travel for work and has stayed in a hotel for an extended period of time, I can certainly vouch for the preference for staying in a serviced apartment. As lovely as it was to have my breakfast cooked for me and to have my room cleaned, it was frustrating to be constricted to such a small space for such a long period of time and to have to rely solely on supermarket snack foods or take-outs. While I still enjoyed the experience, I can say that the novelty wore off and I did always find myself eager to get home to my own house where I had greater freedom to do as I pleased. Therefore, having learnt that serviced apartments not only handle the breakfast and cleaning aspect for you, but also give you that extra space and that ability to cook for yourself, often for a lower price than a hotel room, I would do things differently if I had the chance to do it over again.

Just remember, even though we are here to cater for longer-time stays, one of the biggest misconceptions about our business is that long-term is all we accommodate for. Whether you are here for a night or a year, we welcome all!